Rotating visible frame book



Aug. 15, 1939- E. c. GAST, JR 2,169,488"? ROTATING VISIBLE FRAME BOOK Fi led March 16, 1938 2 mats-Sheet 1 6 5 6 7 6 fiidiz for:

Zaarara C 605 ff:

Aug. 15, 1939. E. c. GAST, JR 2,

ROTATING VISI'BLE FRAME BdbK Filed March 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J77 272 for: Eda/card 6: G05! J7? Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE Edward C. Gast, Jr., Cicero, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Acme Visible Records,

Inc., Chicago,

111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 16, 1938, Serial No. 196,145

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements'in visible index and record equipment and refers specifically to a book form of frame holder for flexible line index strips wherein a plurality of 1 frames are retained Within suitable covers, said frames being so mounted that, when used for reference purposes, the individual frame being referred to lies flat within the book.

Ever since the development of visible listing equipment there has been a need for a book to hold frames so that the listings may' be kept confidential rather than be exposed to the view of a casual observer as is the case when frames holding visible listings are placed in various types of conventional holders or stands such as revolving stands, oblique stands, and the like. Such an index is needed by factories for listing personnel, classifying certain of them for various purposes, telephone listings of attorneys clients, telephone listings in brokerage oflices, listings of probable investors or customers and the like. These users are only a few of the many instances where the rotating visible frame book of the present invention is needed and would be available only to those who are authorized to use the respective listings. Where but a few listings are involved there is no special need for the rotating frame book of this invention. It is designed especially for larger listings.

In holders and stands for visible index frames each of the frames carries a plurality of strips upon the faces of which are typed or otherwise inscribed pertinent data such' as names, credit rating, etc. The types of holders 0! stands heretofore used have always taken a stationary or semi-stationary form and the frames as well as the index data carried by said frames have always been more or less exposed and permanently open to View.

As hereinabove referred to, frequently it is desirable that such lists of names and other relevant data be kept confidential or at least 0bsoured from the view of a casual observer. With holders and stands of the type heretofore employed, which have been the only structures in which such frames could be orderly retained, the degree of privacy required has been unattainable.

Loose leaf record books, of course,.are old and well known. However, to construct a book for holding relatively heavy, stiff frames, such as those adaptable for the carrying of flexible index strips, presents problems which are notencountered in dealing with the usual leaves of a loose leaf book. One of the problems which confronts the art is to provide a frame retaining structure which will permit the frames to be confined in book leaf fashion, within suitable covers, and which will permit the frames to be turned in page fashion, and yet, permit the frames to always be in flat position when the book is opened to refer to the indicia on a predetermined frame.

In my invention, a frame retainer is provided which possesses all of the characteristics, with regard to privacy, of a book, the frames with the data carried by the strips thereon being confined between covers. The book thus formed has a plurality of frames which may be turned pagefashion, and the frames are so swingably mounted as to permit any one of the frames to be exposed in fiat position when the book is opened. My invention is further characterized in that the book of frames is portable and maybe readily carried about and stored or deposited in a vault or strong box.

One of the features of the invention comprises the provision of means permittingrotating movement of the means which hold in place the frame pins. The rotating movement makes it possible for the framesto lie in a relatively flat position whenever the frames are separated at any given point without binding one against another.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and following detailed description.

I In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a face view of my frame book with two of the frames lying in flat, exposed position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v r

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing two different frames exposed.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my frame book in closed position.

Fig, 5 is a sectional View taken on line 55 of Fig. 1. v I Fig. 6 is a sectional View taken on. line 66 of Fig. 1. n n 7 Referring in detail to the drawings, and. with particularreference to Fig. ithereof, 1 indicates a book-form of holdler for a plurality of frames 2. The book comprises opposite covers-3 and 4 joined by a back 5.. Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3,.the covers 3"andj.4 andb-a'ck 5 are.

preferably of integral construction and comprise a central layer. 6 of pasteboard, cardboard or other type of material .of sufficient weight and strength to lend bodytof the covers. 7 The centrallayer 6 is completely covered withafacing material 1 which may comprise leather, Leatherette, 'buckram or other suitable facing material.

' around the disc.

' 7 To mount the Along the lines where the covers join the back 5, the material comprising the covers may be indented, as shown best at 8 in Figs. 2 and 3, to permit ready hinging of the covers with respect to the back. 1

A metal strap 9 is positioned on the inside of the back and is confined by the facing material adjacent the central layer of the back. The strap 9 is substantially coextensive in width and length with the back 5 and serves to reinforce the same. The ends of the strap 9 are turned up to provide lugs I and II, which, as will be hereinafter, more fully described, form supporting Standards for the frame carrying mechanism I2.

The frame carrying mechanism I2 comprises a tubular rod I3 having collars I4and I5 removably. mounted on each end thereof, said collars being centrally bored to embrace the ends of the rod. A disc I6 is formed integral with collar I4 and extends outwardly from anintermediate portion of the collar surface, and similarly, a disc I] is formed integral with collar I5 andextends outwardly fromv an intermediate portion of the surface of said collar. ,Of course, if desired, the discs I6. and Il may be formed separate from the respective collars I4 and I5 and may be rigidly mounted on' said collars by any appropriate means. .Each of the discs I6 and I1 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures I8 which extend substantially 180 degrees The collar I5 carries an auxiliary disc I9 adjacent the end of the collar, said disc being spaced a predetermined distance from disc II, disc I9 being formed integral with or rigid-' ly secured to collar I5. The end of the opposite collar I4 is restricted in diameter, as indicated at in Fig. 5, a disc 2I being removably seated upon said end of restricted diameter.

Both'collars I4 and I5 are centrally bored and threaded, as shown at 22, to receivethe threaded shanks 23 of screws 24. Screws 24 are provided with knurled heads 25 whereby the same may be manually rotated, and also slots 26 whereby the same may, if desired, be rotated by means of a screw driver. Lugs I0 and II are each provided with an aperture 21 through which the screws 24 extend whereby the rod I3 and collars I4and I5 may be supported between the lugs I0 and II. Screws 24 are provided with offset shoulders 28 and, shoulders 28 registering with the apertures "21 and the shoulders 29 being adapted to space the knurled heads 25 from the faces of the lugs I0 -and II.

Each of the frames 2 comprises a metal web 30 which carries a pintle 3I alongone longitudinal side edge. A flange 32, which is U-shaped in cross-section, embraces the pintle 3I and provides, in the space between the web andthe overhanging flange, slots 33 at each face of the frame. A U-shaped flange 34 embraces the opposite longi- "tudinal edge of the web 30 and provides slots similar'to the slots 33. Flexible strips 35, such as those described in United States Patent No. 1,594,112 are'positioned upon-the frames 2, the strips lying above each face of the web 30 with their ends retained by the flanges 32 and 34 in. theslots. frames in the book I, the disc2l is removed from the collar I4, and the ends of .the pintles of the framesare first inserted in the apertures .I8 of disc I6. The pintles are then. passedithrough said apertures until'the opposite ends of the pintles clear the disc H. The ends of the pintles are then threaded through apertures 1 I3 in disc IT and disc 2Iis replaced on collar I4.

. II Send the screws 24 may rotate as a unit.

.The flexible index strips 35, of course, are

adapted to'carry data such as names, addresses,

telephone numbers and the like, as indicated at 36 in- Fig; 1. When it is desired, reference may bemade to the'dataon any of the strips by opening the book I and referring to the frame in question. By reference to ,Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that each of the frames is independently swingable about its own pintle 3Iand that all of the frames are swingable'or' rotatable as a unit about the axis of the screws, collars and rod. The desirable aspect of this construction resides in the convenient. position'which the frame, to which reference is being" made, will automatically assume when the frames are turned in page fashion, that is, the frame being referred to can. be made to automatically occupy a relatively flat substantially parallel positionwith respect to the opened covers. I i 7 This automatic action is'broughtabou't by the fact that all of the frames tend to occupy a flat position, that. is, when any of the. frames assumes a position other than an approximately horizontal position, that frame exerts a turning moment upon the discs I6 and I1, until said moment, is balanced by the moments of the remaining frames. For instance to refer to frames 2a and. 2b the position of saideframes will be as indi cated in Fig. 2; However, when reference is made force of the frames above 20 carries the discs. to the'position shown in Fig. 3, that is, an equi-.

librium position. Ofv course, the pintles not being spaced appreciablyover 180 uponthe discs, onejframe can bereferred to, for instance, the.

lower siderof frame 2a, inwhich, event, the.

moment of clockwise movement of said frame will bring its pintle at approximately the vertical center line of the, discs and. said, framewill be.

in an approximately flat position.

By the useof this improved, swingable mount-Q ing of the frames 2, the same may be readily.

confined between covers to provide ,a book of in dex frames which is portable, and information contained therein, may be kept confidential to'a large degree. 7

While the invention has been described. with, particular reference to the use of the index strips I described in United States Patent No. 1,594,112,

it will be apparent that the invention 'isadapted:

for use with, flexible index strips of any character including those instances wherecrelatively thin indexed-strips of paper are inserted -"in,

foregoing,it.will be apparent that the I been endeavoring to develop because of the need 76 therefor in so many kinds of businesses. It opens up a new and untouched field for visible listing equipment among those who would not permit their listings to be exposed as is necessary when the frames are placed in the conventional stands or holders.

I claim as my invention:

1. A book having a back and covers hinged thereto, a supporting member carried by said back between said covers, means rotatably mounted upon said supporting member, and a plurality of relatively rigid planar members swingably mounted in constant spaced relationship upon said rotatable means.

2. A book having a back and covers hinged thereto, a supporting member carried by said back between said covers, means rotatably mounted upon said supporting member including a pair of spaced discs, and a plurality of relatively rigid planar members swingably mounted upon said discs.

3. A book having a back and covers hinged thereto, a supporting member carried by said back between said covers, said supporting member being substantially coextensive in length with the length of the back of the book, means rotatably mounted upon said supporting member, a disc carried adjacent each opposite end of said rotatable means, and a plurality of relatively rigid planar members of greater width and length than thickness swingably mounted upon circumferentially spaced pivots upon said discs.

4. A book having a back and covers hinged thereto, a supporting member carried by said back between said covers, said supporting member being substantially coextensive in length with the length of the back of the book, means rotatably mounted upon said supporting member, a disc carried adjacent each opposite end of said rotatable means, and a plurality of relatively rigid planar members of greater width and length than thickness swingably mounted upon circumferentially spaced pivots upon said discs, all of said circumferentially spaced pivots being positioned on an are which sub-tends an angle not greater than substantially degrees.

5. A book having a back and covers hinged thereto, a supporting member carried by said back between said covers, said supporting member being substantially coextensive in length with the length of the back of the book, means rotatably mounted upon said supporting member, a disc carried adjacent each opposite end of said rotatable means, a plurality of frames for holding flexible index strips each of said frames being of greater width and length than thickness and having a pintle carried along one edge thereof, each of said discs being provided with a plurality of apertures for the reception of said pintles whereby said frames are swingable about said discs.

6. A book having a back and covers hinged thereto, a pair of lugs extending between said covers from adjacent opposite ends of said back, means rotatably mounted upon said lugs, a pair of discs carried upon said rotatable means, and a plurality of relatively rigid planar members of greater width and length than thickness swingably mounted upon substantially circumferentially spaced portions of said discs.

7. A book having a back and covers hinged thereto, a pair of lugs extending between said covers from adjacent opposite ends of said back, means rotatably mounted upon said lugs, a pair of discs carried upon said rotatable means, a plurality of relatively rigid planar members of greater width and length than thickness swingably mounted upon substantially circumferentially spaced portions of said discs, and means permitting removal of said rotatable means from said lugs. V

EDWARD C. GAST, JR. 

